Workday Wonders
by RhiannonNymph
Summary: Sequel to 'Bedtime Thoughts'. McKay wants to change, and get closer to the woman he wants, but new toys wont give him the time... COMPLETE
1. Lunch and Dinner

**DISCLAMIER: **I don't own anything…sadly…so so sad…

Sequel to 'Bedtime Thoughts'.

A couple people asked for more, so I thought I'd go for it. Besides, my muse is pretty much on brain freeze for the other story right now. Hopefully not for to long, but at least I have something to do while I wait.

Enjoy.

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Workday Wonders 

McKay fiddled with a device, discovered earlier by a tech when rummaging around an Ancient lab. He'd given the man a stern, 'Don't touch stuff unless I'm here' lecture, then taken the device and headed toward his lab.

It was a sleek, shiny metal tube looking thing, it was semi-flexible, and reminded him of the really thick wires back on Earth. On both ends there appeared to be some sort of cover, like the tube opened up, but for what he had no idea. It sort of reminded him of Chinese finger trap, but he quickly dismissed the idea, what use would the Ancients have for something like that?

He walked quickly to his lab, and if anyone had cared, which he doubted they did, they might have noticed the very small, nearly imperceptible bounce McKay stepped with. It almost seemed as if the large granite chip he always seemed to have on his shoulder was being worn down, crafted by a masterful artist into something different, changing the man in the process.

He laughed a little, sometimes he felt like his own worst enemy, piling unnecessary criticism on himself. The Wraith could do no worse to him than he did to himself. Well, except kill him and use his genius against everyone in the Milky Way. Which was something he hoped didn't happen very soon.

But since last night, his short but surprisingly pleasant conversation with one Major John Sheppard, he'd decided it was time for a change.

No more blaming himself for every misfortune he couldn't prevent. No berating himself for not coming up with the correct solution first. No brooding over lives lost. He could mourn, of course, it was something he had a terrible feeling he would be able to refine to an art before they ever made it home, but he wouldn't blame those deaths on himself anymore.

It was fate right? Or at least bad luck?

Change. That's what he wanted, with change came new things, maybe even good things. Maybe his life could change…maybe he wouldn't feel so alone all the time anymore.

He turned the corner and crashed into a sleepy Zelenka. The device popped out of his hands, but with a few fumbling motions he was able to clasp it tightly against his chest.

"Zelenka! Do you realize what you could have just caused to happen? I mean, what if this is key to beating the Wraith?" the tired Czech merely blinked at him, hearing, but clearly not listening. The man looked beat. He'd probably pulled an all-nighter, trying to do the same thing every other scientist was, find a way to live.

'_Damn Wraith' _McKay thought.

"Move." He told the man, with a roll of his eyes. Zelenka stepped aside and continued on his way to bed.

Change, Rodney remembered, change.

"Radek." He said, Zelenka turned around, eyes half closed, hair in his face, "Get some sleep. We're gonna need you." Zelenka regarded McKay with a skeptical look, but nodded then went on his way.

McKay smiled to himself. One small step at a time; small, but sure. Next up: Elizabeth. That was something he was going to try and change if it killed him. He wanted to get her alone, maybe trick her into inviting him to lunch, so he didn't have to ask her. Thankfully the new device presented an opportunity for just that, or at least it made it so that if he asked, no one could really consider it a date or anything of the sort.

He entered his lab, and sighed inwardly.

"Major Sheppard." He smiled, "How are you?"

"Same old, same old. What have you got there?" he inclined his head toward the object Rodney had clutched to his chest.

"A cigar case." John raised his eyebrows, "I don't know yet Major. Isn't it kind of early to be bugging me?" he asked sitting the device down on the table between them.

True, he wanted to change, but he couldn't do it all at once, and not just because he feared he'd look like a fool. It just wasn't something he or anyone really, was able to do. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day.

"Jeez Rodney," Sheppard retorted with a smile, "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"Actually, I'll have you know-" the doors to his lab slid open, making way for Doctor Elizabeth Weir, the want of both men, to enter. Rodney sensed John straighten up, he rolled his eyes, and did his best to do the same without being obvious.

"Good morning Rodney…Major."

McKay smiled, not only had she called him by his first name, but she'd only tacked John's _rank_ on as a second thought, he wasn't supposed to be there.

"Dr. Weir."

"Elizabeth." McKay smiled again as her named passed his lips. Sheppard couldn't even call her by her first name. "One of the techs found something early this morning, once I find out what it is I'll let you know."

"Thank you Rodney, any idea when that'll be?"

"Uh…lunch?" Smooth Rodney, smooth. He cringed inwardly as an invisible hand smacked his forehead.

"Sounds good. Will the Major be helping you figure this out?" she asked, he wasn't sure who it was directed at. Did she want the Major to say no? Was she subtlety trying to ask the Major to run away with her, somewhere no one would find them?

He opened his mouth to answer, but Sheppard beat him to it, "I might stick around for a bit. I'm supposed to go train with Teyla in a little while."

"Well have fun." She squinted at them, they always seemed to get into trouble, "You two behave. I'll see you at lunch Rodney?"

His attention jerked back to her, "Hmmm? Yes, yes, uh, lunch." He smiled.

She smiled back at him, shaking her head at his absentmindedness. She turned to walk out of the room.

Geniuses, what were you supposed to do with them?

"Oh, Dr. Weir, I'd like to talk to you about our next mission. Later, after lunch, say dinner time?" Sheppard said as he shot her a smile, and glanced sidelong at Rodney. Was he trying to ruin McKay's life? Rodney glared back at the Major, knowing he was fully capable of stealing Elizabeth out from under him.

But would he? They were friends right, that's what he'd finally established last night? He didn't think they man would do anything to purposefully hurt him, or take something he loved away, unless it was something he loved as well.

And if that were the case things could get ugly. If that happened McKay could only hope that brains would beat brawns.

"Of course Major." She nodded and left the room.

McKay turned to Sheppard, glaring. John returned the look, eyebrows raised, and a look of what Rodney could only see as humor, on his face. He knew what he was doing, didn't he?

Sheppard smiled, he knew that Rodney always thought everyone was out to get him, but the truth was he did want to talk to Elizabeth about the upcoming mission. The fact that it would be happening over a shared dinner was just an added bonus.

"So, what is it?" He asked again, picking up the device with his left hand.

"I told you I didn't know." McKay reached out his right hand for the device, trying to pull it from the Major's grip.

A light blue line that twisted around the device lit up, indicating that what ever it was had just been activated. He tried to let go, not wanting to find out what it did by experience.

The tube opened, as he knew it would, and the device became longer. It whipped out and around, enclosing the wrists of both men, and closing in on itself. When the blue spiral faded away, the two men stood, arms stretched out over the table, left wrist to right wrist, with only a few spare inches between their wrists.

McKay tugged at it, trying to loosen the hold the device had on him, the Major trying to do the same thing.

"McKay…" Sheppard's tone was full of warning, he wasn't going to be happy when Rodney told him he had no idea what was going on.

"I-I didn't…you turned it on." Blame, that was all he could do blame Sheppard.

Well, at least now he'd have something to tell Elizabeth during lunch, unfortunately, Sheppard would probably still be attached to him. Chinese finger trap, indeed.

Time for the brains to show the brawns how it's done.

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Hmm…well, I have a pretty good feeling about this. I think my humor/angst pieces come out better than my actions ones, but hopefully I'll be able to put the action I have planed into this one and it'll be ok. Please read and review. Oh, and P.S. to all my fellow Sheyla shippers, I havent switched sides, ShepWeir just works for this. So keep reading please! 


	2. Think 'Off'

Thanks to PurpleYin and Peanut for reviewing!

Sorry this took so long, I haven't felt much like doing anything in the past few days. And work is driving me crazy, I swear!

Anyway, I have a couple tests this week so I hope to get more done after those are out of the way!

Enjoy!

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Workday Wonders: Chapter Two

"Think off." McKay said.

"What?" Sheppard responded without looking up, he was still trying to wiggle his wrist free.

"What do you mean 'what'? It isn't complicated, think off, you know, to get this thing off of us." As much as he liked the man, he sure did seem to be dense about some things, and to think he passed the MENSA test.

Sheppard glanced up at McKay, and back at the device. He squared his shoulders, took a breath, and squinted at it. When nothing happened he closed his eyes, as though that would help him.

It didn't.

McKay rubbed his free hand over his face. He wasn't sure how long he could be in this close of a proximity to Sheppard. "Together this time." John nodded his agreement, and both men looked down at their hands.

McKay and Sheppard walked as quickly as they could to a lab on the other side of the control tower, trying to do so as gracefully as possible and not allow the city's residents to see that they were literally leashed together. McKay was hoping to find something there, some machine or tool strong enough to break the bond that held him to the Major.

McKay just wanted to get the device off, run his tests without problem, and have a peaceful lunch with Elizabeth. It occurred to McKay that Sheppard was walking slower than he, and he thought that maybe he was trying to make sure that they were together through lunch.

John smiled nonchalantly at the people they passed in the corridors. If John thought he could work it so that he could sit in on Rodney's lunch…meeting and be free for his own dinner with Elizabeth, he had another thing coming.

"Think again…" he muttered to himself. He walked ahead of John and pulled his and John's arms forward, showing his impatience.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I said this is your fault." Rodney shot back at him unhappily.

"What?" his voiced said he was insulted, but Rodney thought otherwise for a moment. Even if it had been John's touch that activated it, he hadn't asked to have such a strong ATA gene, and he really didn't need to bust John's chops about it.

"Did I stutter? This. Is. Your. Fault." He punctuated each word. Even as he spoke he found he remotely regretted it. He wanted to be a nice guy; he didn't want to push away a friend, one he felt that he'd only really just established as such.

"How is it my fault? It didn't open until you touched it!" two could play the blame game.

"Yes, well, I touched it earlier. Clearly you're the one who activated it, everyone knows my gene use isn't as good as, oh say, yours." He looked at Sheppard, the need to change being quickly replaced by a need to be separated.

Close proximity was something he'd never been comfortable with, not even with family. When he had to ride the bus to school he'd try as hard as he could to look undesirable, or take up as much space as possible so no one would sit with him. Those seats were too small to begin with, and he usually had fragile things with him.

Like his spirit. He thought about it, was he the cause of his own unhappiness, did he subconsciously try to avoid friendships? He went out of his way to make sure no one sat with him…no, no he wasn't doing to himself, he'd asked Elizabeth to lunch hadn't he?

But getting stuck to Sheppard…he truly did think he had a friendship with John, an odd one, but it was there none the less. Sure they bickered and argued, but when it came right down to it, Sheppard would do anything to ensure the scientists safety, and vice versa.

"You touch it and the next thing you know we're practically holding hands." McKay continued. A couple of other scientists walking their direction sent the pair a look, and John smiled politely, while McKay shot them an ugly look in return. "This is unbelievable."

They reached the lab that McKay thought to hold the answers they were looking for. He puttered back and forth in the room, looking for something, John straggling behind, slowing him down.

"You know, usually I wouldn't really mind watching you work, but now-" he was cut off as McKay pulled something from one of the crates, and boxes, "Someone brought bolt cutters to another galaxy?"

"Well there are many earth made things here, which at some point could require some form of cutting or other. What would you suggest we use?" He was trying, this was just one thought on a list of many. There wasn't much he could do because he didn't know what it was, or what it was made of, but it wasn't like the Major was offering any ideas up. _'How usual'_ he thought, _'he'll wait till the last minute to try and make himself look like the hero…'_

Damn Sheppard and his touching things.

"I don't know, aren't there some ancient scissors lying around somewhere?" he shrugged, "No offense, I just don't think bolt cutters are going to do anything for us."

McKay stared blankly at him, "Ancient scissors? Well let's not knock it till we try it, ok Major?"

After nearly ten minutes without success, McKay dropped the bolt cutters and looked around the room. John, picked the cutters back up, placing them on the few spare inches between their hands, and then lifted a near by hammer. McKay tried to stop him, tell him was a stupid idea before he did it, that it didn't matter how pressure or force they applied to the cutters, the material was just too strong for it.

McKay wretched his hand away as John slammed the hammer down, the bolt cutters slipped off and snapped in half with the impact of the hammer.

"What the hell did you do that for? I could have hit one of our hands! What the hell is wrong with you?" Sheppard shouted.

What was wrong with him? Oh, where to begin…

"I was afraid you were going to miss."

"I don't miss. You got damn lucky there McKay, but don't ever, _ever_ try something like that again." Rodney narrowed his eyes at the man, he hated be bossed around, especially when it came to technology matters.

'_Friend, he's your friend.'_ He thought as he suppressed the urge to strike out. Violence would get them nowhere, and McKay couldn't very well hit the man and run for cover. He continued his scan of the room spotted what he hoped would work.

He moved over to it, a still sulking Major behind him, "A torch? You want to burn our hands off instead of getting them crushed?" he asked.

Rodney rolled his eyes, "It's…kind of a torch, there have been a few modifications. Think of it as a laser torch." At the Major's skeptical glance, he continued, "Relax, it's very precise, the aim is amazing."

After a few minutes of nothing happening, John took the torch and gave it a go. Again nothing happened; the metal didn't even get very hot.

"It must have some kind of buffering system." McKay said. John turned it off and threw it down on the table, "What are we two? We don't throw expensive, irreplaceable things." John rested his head on his free hand. He was as put out as McKay. Both men could stand to be around each other, which, frankly, surprised the hell out of McKay. Not because he could stand the Major, he didn't make it to difficult, he was a people person, but because the Major could stand to be around Rodney. But all in all, you know what they say about good things; only Rodney wasn't sure when this would come to end, because as far as he was concerned it was already enough.

"Look, lets just go back to my lab, let me run a few tests, see what this stuff is made of and I'll figure something out. Before lunch, so you're going to have to walk faster."

"Why before lunch?" Sheppard asked with a smile, "Afraid I'll steal your food?"

"Yes, something like that." His voice was a bit icy, and he didn't care for the tone he, himself had used, but if the Major was going to play children's games, Rodney would treat him as he would another child.

That makes one more thing to change; be nice to kids, even if they are dumb and annoying.

They'd made it about half way there before anyone stopped them, the stood shoulder to shoulder, trying to hid the predicament they'd gotten themselves into, because Ford would have a field day with it.

"Sir, I was talking to Teyla few minutes ago, she was wondering if you were gonna show up for that training session or not."

"What?" Sheppard asked, whipping his hand up to look at his watch. Unfortunately he wore his watch on his left, and currently bound wrist, and McKay's hand shot up with his. John missed it, but McKay, for the briefest second, found the Lieutenants face quite funny.

The young man's eyes widened, momentarily, and his brows came together, and his mouth opened. And then, what he did next McKay found very distasteful, he laughed. It was then that John realized what he'd done.

"Shut up Ford." He said lowering his hand.

"It's just…" he contained his laughter, but couldn't stop the toothy grin that spread across his face, "What are those, like, Ancient handcuffs? And of all people…"

"Yes, yes, you have a very keen eye Lieutenant, but unless you have anything of use to add, which I doubt, I really do need to do something."

"Is that something, holding the Major's hand?" Ford laughed. John shot him a disbelieving look, "Sorry Sir." He amended, standing straighter. McKay knew the news of this event would be all over base by dinner, if not lunch.

Ford continued, "Actually, one time, my cousin and I got into some trouble because we were fighting with each other a lot, so my Grandpa tied us together like that," he indicated their hands, "and wouldn't lets us apart until we got along."

"How'd you guys pee?" Sheppard asked after a moment.

McKay spun his head so hard; he thought he'd pulled something. Of all the things to be worried about, that was what John wanted to know?

Sometimes life seemed so hopeless. You could make all the advancements in technology, or human relations, or in anything, but these were the people you had to rely on to use and make sense of them.

"Is that really all you're worried about?" McKay asked.

"I don't know…should I be?" Sheppard retorted, raising an eyebrow. Ford snickered, still trying to hold his laughter back, but the smile he wore gave him away.

"Oh, oh, a gay joke, how cute. Could we just get on with it please?" Rodney started to move away.

"Ford, I'm warning you right now-"

"I'm done laughing Sir, I swear." He smiled innocently, "Should I tell Teyla to reschedule?"

Sheppard squinted at the man as he was being dragged away, he knew what was going to happen, "Yeah, and -" it was too late. No sooner had Ford heard the word 'yeah', before he trotted off down the hall, no doubt to find Teyla and tell her what he'd seen.

Or maybe he'd go to Elizabeth first. Rodney sure hoped not.

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Wal-la. Hope you liked, please read and review! They're what keep me going! ;) 


	3. Table for Three, Regrettably

Thanks for the reviews! You guys rock.

I wanted to say something up here, but I forgot what it was. Eh.

Enjoy.

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Workday Wonders: Chapter Three

"McKay…" John whined, he had his right arm folded under his head, resting on the table top. Rodney winced, wondering if that's what he sounded like. "It's been an hour, don't you know anything yet?"

He didn't look up, he just continued to examine and poke and scrape the device under a microscope, sensors placed close to the hands to read the energy out puts, looking for any change in the readings. He was growing tired of John's excessive questions and was deadly close to really letting the man have a piece of his mind.

"What, did you walk away for ten minutes? I would have told you if I knew something. It probably didn't help that I had to walk you to the bathroom every five minutes." He needed to eat something, and then maybe he'd be more apt to listening to the man. He had, however, come to respect John a bit more, it took a lot to put up with McKay and his personality, and whether John new it or not, he was giving Rodney a taste of his own medicine.

"I'd hardly say it was every five minutes, we went twice." Sheppard said, readjusting his head so that he could see what Rodney was doing. He looked to the other side of McKay, at the computer screen. He watched the digital feedback, with half hearted interest.

Rodney was running over the options left to him before lunch, he doubted he could manage to get it off by then. So Sheppard would have to come, he'd sit in on his and Elizabeth's lunch and McKay would be no closer to knowing her than he was when he decided to come to Atlantis.

Maybe he should call it off; it was probably a dumb idea anyway. Of all people, why would she choose to be with him, especially with someone like Sheppard chasing after her?

"_Rodney" _Elizabeth's voice came over his radio, startling him slightly, to John's amusement.

"Yes Elizabeth?"

"_Could you by any chance make it to lunch now?" _

The words fumbled through his mind, and stuck in his throat. He didn't want to have to share Elizabeth with John, who was sitting now, grinning at him during his moment of weakness. Was he even bothered by the fact they were stuck like this? Wasn't he worried what Elizabeth might think?

That took him back, people laughing at his failure or uneasiness. Contrary to popular belief Rodney didn't spring forth fully grown and all knowing from his mother's womb.

Once during a speech in high school he'd been laughed out of the room…

Realizing his mind was wondering, he shook his head, wiped a hand over his face, and did what he could to turn from John's gaze.

"Uh…yeah. Sure."

"_Ok…"_ her voice sounded concerned, she'd want to know what had taken him so long to answer, _"I'll see you soon then."_

"Yeah…" he turned back to John, who tilted his head in that way that said 'now what?'. McKay just shook his head, "I'm sure Ford already spread the good news."

"She didn't sound like she was laughing about anything."

"Well why would she? She's probably concerned, and that's if she knows."

John rolled his eyes, "Of course she knows, she just doesn't want to hurt our feelings. Now, what's really important…we can't walk to the mess hall with our backs to the wall."

"Just, uh, just walk beside me and try to keep time." John stood, letting out a long sigh. They reached the door and Rodney said, "Just make sure your hand goes when mine does, you know, so we look a little less stupid than we already do."

"It's not like my hand could not go when yours does." John responded. McKay closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth, hoping to be free soon.

They made their way to the mess hall with an easy stride, but still they could hear the snickers and murmurs passing behind them. It was the first time since they'd gotten stuck together that they agreed that everyone else was being stupid, and stopped picking on each other.

Unfortunately it was only a temporary thing. They went over to the table they saw Elizabeth at, her dark curls falling by her face as she leaned over to take a sip of whatever soup was being served today.

Rodney saw that as his chance. His chance to make it to the table and sit without her seeing him tied to his competition.

In hindsight, rushing toward the table might have been a bad move. Sheppard was unprepared for Rodney's leap forward, and he stumbled a bit, trying to regain his footing. What attention had come to them during that moment was nothing compared to when Rodney tried to sit.

He whipped out a chair, it screeched as it was drug across the floor, drawing Elizabeth's, as well as everyone else's attention, he sat and shoved his hands down into his lap. It was a funny scene, at least to anyone who wasn't John or Rodney. The Major was next to McKay, standing, but bent over, one hand on the table the other hidden beneath.

Elizabeth stared at the pair, lowering her spoon back into her bowl. John pulled a chair around and slowly sat, his eyes on McKay, who stared back at Elizabeth.

"Slick Rodney."

Rodney shot astunned glare at the man, shaking his leg like something horrible was on it, and dropping his arm to hang next to the Major's between the two men's seats, "Dont ever touch me like that!" McKay growled at Sheppard in a low voice, wanting no one to hear. Honestly, what was going through John's head to squeeze his thigh like that?

Lousy bastard, this was no time to play with each others heads.

"Major, what are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked. Rodney smiled a bit, that probably wasn't the greeting John was hoping for.

At the thought, the word 'change' came to Rodney again. What if he didn't get Elizabeth, if he was denied and Sheppard welcomed? Would he be happy for the pair, or would he avoid them at all costs? What would he do about 'gate travel? He couldn't just give it up, and no other team would take him…and he liked where he was.

On the other hand, how would Sheppard treat it if Rodney won out? As much as Rodney wanted to deny that he'd be angry, jealous and hurt, he knew he would. Jealousy was practically human nature, even if you wanted to be happy for someone, deep down some part of you would hate them for it. And he figured Major Sheppard was a touch more "human", so to speak, in the sense that he felt more. But as amilitary man…maybe he really wouldn't be too worried.

It's not like he couldn't have his pick of women on the base, hell, he could have his pick of women in the Galaxy!

"If I had known you were coming Major, I would have saved a bigger table." She was looking directly at Rodney. Was it because she'd wanted to be alone with Rodney, or she was unprepared for John's presence and blamed him for not letting her know Sheppard would be there?

"Yeah, Sheppard, threes a crowd." Rodney shook his head, John couldn't leave it he wanted to.

"No, threes company Rodney." John replied, smile on his face. He looked from Rodney to Elizabeth and back to Rodney. John could make this a long, drawn out, painful, embarrassing ordeal.

"I'm willing to sit with my hand behind my back, if it means that you're facing away, and I can't see you." Rodney's eyes were looking up, over Elizabeth's head, and out the window. She sat back, and watched the exchange between her two top men with inertest.

Sheppard was unfazed, "Now, Rodney, that's not very nice."

"And you don't talk." He added.

"Jeez, what's eating you?" Rodney knew he was being baited, but it had been a long morning, he was at lunch, but there was no food in front of him, and he was fast approaching a stressed out state.

"You think this is funny?" he hissed at the Major, he saw John recoil for a moment, not thinking his comment would exact such a response.

"No, not at first. But since it doesn't look like we're going to die I'm finding it slightly more amusing, along with a few other things."

In Rodney's mind that translated to: You're my friend, but I won't just hand her over to you.

"Rodney?" Elizabeth asked. They were starring at each other; both of their eyes were narrowed to slits. He turned his attention back to her; he'd have to try and get alone time with her some other time.

"This," he said, putting his and John's hands on the table, "is what that device is. Handcuffs; we can't get them off, we don't know what activated them exactly, because I sure as hell wasn't thinking I wanted to be stuck to Sheppard all day."

"And I was thinking 'God, I just wish I could spend all day around a cranky scientist'? Because really, not on the top of my list." John spat back, rather harshly. Rodney, though he hadn't shown it outwardly, was hurt by that comment, as he was sure John was probably hurt by his. He could understand though, he was being cranky, but it wasn't like John was helping the situation.

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth said firmly, "Do I need to get you two a babysitter?" both men fidgeted in their seats, "You can keep working on it, right?"

"Yes, it's just…I can't figure anything out. I have nothing to go off, I don't even know where to begin."

"I have faith in you Rodney." He smiled. "And you'll have plenty of time, so don't worry. Until that thing comes off, you two aren't going anywhere, so Major, I'm afraid we wont need to talk over dinner."

"What?" John practically shouted. Rodney wasn't sure if the anger was over not having any reason to have dinner with her, or because he couldn't leave Atlantis.

"Major, look at yourself, you can't go anywhere in that condition."

"But-"

"No buts Major." Another firm command. McKay was slightly relieved to know that John and Elizabeth wouldn't be having dinner together.

"Elizabeth." That caught both Rodney and Elizabeth's undivided attention, John never used her first name, he was getting serious. He didn't want to be stuck to McKay and be forced to stay on Atlantis for an undetermined amount of time, "It's a recon mission. We're just picking up a food shipment, that's all. I think we can handle that."

"I don't think it's a good idea." She said, pushing her tray away.

"Me either, what are you thinking?" McKay added. If they went off world anything could happen, and knowing his luck something would happen and it'd be bad.

"It's not like we'd be by our selves, Ford and Teyla would be there." He leaned in, over the table, "It's a pick up. We are picking up food, what could possibly go wrong?"

She raised her eyebrow. It could be considered a fairly dumb question. What could go wrong? Anything and everything, something always goes wrong, especially if it's his team. They attracted trouble like flies to honey.

"I'll think about it, on one condition."

"Name it." John said as McKay squeaked out a disbelieving "What?".

"You go see Carson, let him make sure that thing isn't doing anything to either of you. You're bickering like an old married couple, more so than usual."

"You got it." John said with a thankful, flirtatious smile. He loved winning.

McKay looked at Elizabeth, he felt betrayed. How could she even consider letting them go anywhere like this? It was because of that damn smile...or because she liked John and could deny him nothing. Rodney didn't really like either option. "Old married couple? We really sound like that?"

"Sometimes." She said with a smile, it was as much for the thought of their constant, playful fighting as it was for the "handcuffs" holding them together.

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So lunch was a bust, poor Rodney, and now he might have to go through the gate like that… :)Hope you guys like! Please R and R! 


	4. Pit Stop

Thanks for the reviews. I'm glad everyone likes it.

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Workday Wonders: Chapter Four

John and Rodney sat in silence on an infirmary bed, waiting for Carson to return. McKay glanced at John; he was looking away, his foot slightly swinging in the air. Rodney looked down at his lap, only one hand rested there. He felt strange; normally he would have crossed his arms, trying to make himself look like he had something super important to get back to.

Now he sat, one hand on either side of him, closer to Sheppard then he ever really wanted to be.

And he knew, just knew that Elizabeth would bend to Sheppard's will, and sooner or later he'd be on some planet, picking up food, wearing handcuffs, all he needed now was a bright orange jump suit.

And if she did succumb to John charming ways, was that indicative of how she felt? Would he lose out to the jock again? He didn't want to, he wanted to be the victor, and he wanted to be the one holding her hand.

But why would she even go for him? He couldn't even be civil with the Major for a day, even though the circumstances were extraordinarily unnatural, that was no excuse. Two men should be able to spend a day in…close proximity without chewing each others heads off.

Today was supposed to be a new day. He was going to start over, get on everyone's good side, and make new friends. Yeah right, and Hell was going to freeze over. What was he thinking; that he could actually pull it off? People would probably just think something was wrong and look at him like he was a freak instead of a pain in the ass.

"You're both fine." Carson said, strolling back into the room. The Scot smiled at his patients as he laid his papers down. McKay gave a half-hearted smile, if he couldn't make his own day; at least he was making other peoples. His fingers fidgeted on the bed, he wished he could just make everything disappear so he could be by himself and figure this out.

"So then we can go, and you'll tell that to Dr. Weir?" Sheppard asked.

"Ah...well, I suppose so. It isn't makin' ya any more likely to get in trouble than before." He leaned on the bed across from them, "But maybe you aught'a get someone else to fly you there."

"I can fly like this." John protested, "Believe me I've been in worse situations."

McKay sat silent through the whole thing. He wouldn't win no matter what he said, if Sheppard wanted to go, he'd get what he wanted.

Rodney wished he could be a people person, then none of this would be a problem. He could get the things he wanted by charming people the way Sheppard did. He could ask Elizabeth out, no problem, hell he'd even have more friends other than the people on his team, the few scientists, and Elizabeth.

He wasn't sure where he'd gone wrong in it all, but he was sure he could trace it back to his family. Actually he could pin point the moment it all went wrong; 6:28 am on September 10th, the moment he was born.

He wasn't sure what it was about him that they found distasteful, the fact he was a boy, the fact he was a genius, or that they really hadn't wanted another child. Regardless, he'd been pushed to the side, his accomplishments noted and put away, while his sister basked in the light of their parents love. Not that he blamed her, he used to, but he knew she didn't ask to the favorite, or that she asked them to ignore their son. They'd messed Jeanie up too, the pressured her to much, she was in rehab at twenty for some pretty heavy drugs. And once she'd cut off contact with them, things got better for her, at least the were going that way the last time he'd heard from her.

It was his parent's fault he couldn't talk to Elizabeth. That he could be the kind of friend he wanted to be.

His parents ruined everything.

He felt his arm being tugged at; he raised his eyes to greet four worried ones, two blue, and two hazel ones. Apparently John and Carson had finished their talk, and when John had gotten up to go Rodney hadn't, and he hadn't answered their calls either.

"Rodney are ya all right?" Carson asked, looking into his eyes, the humor from before gone. Rodney smiled slightly, this would make Carson second guess his findings, if he played it right; he could make sure he Sheppard didn't go anywhere.

But he didn't want to be confined to the infirmary either.

"I'm fine. I was just thinking." He hopped down off the bed. By the looks on both their faces, Rodney knew they were both reconsidering, "Look, I'm fine. It's not like I've never thought before. The…handcuffs," he hated saying that, "aren't doing anything. I swear, and your tests prove me right."

Carson let out a long sigh, his blue eyes darted back and forth between McKay and Sheppard. They were both fine. "Ok." He knew Rodney well enough to know that if something was wrong he'd be sure to let him know, and probably in the most annoying manner possible.

Sheppard's confidence came right back, he did his best pat McKay on the shoulder, he reached his right arm around, but it wasn't quite the pat on the back he was hoping for.

"Hey Beckett…" he said, nodding his head at Rodney. Carson caught on quick and gave Rodney a reaffirming pat.

"It'll be ok." He assured.

"Yeah." McKay muttered, maybe if he wasn't such a dope, like always. He laughed, John was Captain Kirk and he was Dopey. For change being the only real constant, he sure was having a hard time getting a grip on it.

He and John walked from the infirmary, hands in the open. Thanks to one Lieutenant Ford, everyone already knew the 'incredibly hilarious' news, as Zelenka had put it. Besides at that moment McKay had depressed himself into not really caring what others were saying.

Although, one thing was interesting; people were jealous of him because he was stuck to Sheppard. He felt awkward because they were _girls_ that were jealous of him, but people were jealous of him, that was a first.

* * *

TBC…this chapter was going to be longer. I wanted to get it all done before class, but hey, some is better than none. I'll finish the rest and put that up sometime tonight I hope. R and R please. 


	5. Don't let the Bedbugs Bite

OK, here's the rest.

Oh, and just pretend that "Letters from Pegasus" hasn't happened yet.

* * *

Workday Wonders: Chapter Five

As they walked from the infirmary the uneasiness of the situation melted away to silent concern. McKay could see John glancing at him as they walked down the corridor, no real destination in mind.

"What?" Rodney finally asked, irritated by the looks the taller man was sending him.

"You sure you're ok?"

"Yes. I told you I was thinking, a concept I'm aware you have little knowledge of, but I thought you knew what that meant." _'Jeez.' _He shouted inwardly, as much for being asked if he was ok, as it was for the fact he just snipped at someone who was concerned for him.

It didn't seem to bother Sheppard, he just smiled.

"It's just you were really zoned out there, you didn't even say anything when Carson said you might learn to shut up from me."

"What?" Carson was talking about him? He was right there, but he thought the conversation was about whether or not they'd be going on the recon mission.

"He said this might be good for us, getting stuck together, thinks maybe we'll rub off on each other. Now you, you'll learn to shut up and let others talk, when necessary, and maybe you'll be less of a condescending ass. Me, I learn to not touch things, be patient, and respect the wishes of authority figures."

They turned a corner, Sheppard was leading them now, and McKay didn't care. Carson thought he was an asshole who talked too much?

Ok, yes, he did talk a lot, but he had so much to say, he just wanted to make sure it was all heard before some inevitably terrible fate befell him.

McKay felt the familiar sensation of turning, then felt cold metal on his bare arm. He'd walked right into the corner, half a foot to the right and he would have been fine.

Sheppard laughed at him, "There's a wall there McKay."

Rodney glared at him, and then smiled, a second later John's body rocked back, his arms flailed out, trying to regain balance, McKay allowed his arm to move with the Major's.

"Major, there's a step there." McKay grinned. Sheppard sent him a sarcastic 'thanks' smile. Rodney recognized their surroundings now; they were headed toward the control room. Sheppard really wanted to get Elizabeth to let them out.

They made it down the steps without further incident, and through the 'Gate room relatively unscathed. Peter said something about finding them a field of flowers to frolic in, everyone laughed at it, but that was all. That they heard anyway.

"Gentlemen," Elizabeth greeted as they entered her office, "please, sit." They both pulled a chair around, and sat in front of her desk, "Not that I don't enjoy seeing the two of you…especially now," she smirked, "but whatever Carson said you could have told me over the radio."

"Yeah…but I thought if we came in person, and you saw how much we wanted," both Elizabeth and Rodney looked at him, "how much I wanted to go, I should be here to make sure I can charm you into it, since Beckett said we could go anyway, and Rodney doesn't seem to mind."

She shrugged with her eyebrows, and let out a breath, "I hate to burst your bubble, but what if I've already made up my mind?"

Sheppard could be pretty blunt sometimes, but the initial shock that had come along with it seemed to have lost its effect on her. McKay hoped that bluntness wasn't something that had rubbed off onto Sheppard from him; he liked the person Sheppard was, admired even, and he didn't want his own personality flaws to infiltrate Sheppard's.

John sat in seat for a moment, trying to think of something clever to say, "Well…I'd have to say that's not very fair if the answer is no, because you didn't-"

"It's ok. I'll let you go, but only because Lieutenant Ford and Teyla will be there too." She said, McKay was crestfallen, she'd gone with Sheppard, he had her in the palm of his hand.

"Great! I'll make this up to you; I swear…I'll make you dinner myself-"

"And," she continued, cutting off the Major's victory dance, "on the two additional conditions that you don't leave the jumper and you take another pilot."

"What?"

McKay smiled; maybe she wasn't completely on John's side after all.

"You get to go Major, that's what you wanted isn't it? Now, you cant fly like that, and I'll be damned if you two go wondering around some alien planet like that, you're both magnets for trouble and you know it. Take it or leave it."

"Fine." He said through gritted teeth, and he stared at her, and she at him.

"Well…"Rodney said, breaking the silence. It brought them both back, and Elizabeth looked at him.

"You've been strangely quiet Rodney. _Are_ you ok with this?" she folded her hands on her desk top, like she was asking him to say no.

He' d have to remember to talk more, self-deprecation made him too quiet sometimes, which is why he only let take a real hold at night, when no one would be around to ask if he was ok.

"Actually, your stipulations make it completely acceptable." He smiled at her, and she smiled back. He loved her smile; he loved everything about her, especially the way she asserted her power.

"Ok then, tomorrow morning." She smiled bigger, "Try to have a good night."

"Well, we won't be sleeping yet. There are still some things that I'd like to look at. Let's go Major." McKay said standing up.

As they walked from the room Sheppard turned back to her, "So…no dinner then?"

"Maybe another time."

They walked away, and she went to the door. "Shut up Peter." She heard Rodney shout, as she leaned in the doorway, watching them go.

She went back to her desk, and sat down with a heavy sigh. What was she supposed to do with the two of them? Did she give into Sheppard's shameless flirting or Rodney's subtle attempts to get her alone?

She'd only just recently decided, if given the chance to talk to Simon again, she'd have to tell him to forget about her, she didn't know when, or if she'd ever make it home. As horrible as it made her feel to think, it was only inevitable before something happened with someone here.

John and Rodney made it to the lab, and decided that John couldn't stay in the lab anymore, if Rodney wanted to look over the readings, then he need to go somewhere where John would have something to do as well.

It was getting dark now, and sooner or later, to the dislike of both, they would have to sleep, or at least lay down next to each other so they could pretend to sleep.

They gathered the printouts from earlier and made their way to Sheppard's room, their arms full of papers, and a laptop and few tiny machines in McKay's.

They set everything up so that Rodney's laptop and machines were on the table near John's bed. Rodney sat in a chair at the table, looking over the information at hand, while Sheppard lay on the bed, his free hand propping up 'War and Peace', his other was stretched out by his head, so that Rodney would be comfortable.

There was a soft beep being emitted from his tiny machine, letting them know, that even at this very second it was reading energy signatures, and variations in said energy.

After the better part of two hours, Rodney rested his head on his fist. He'd found nothing, and was growing tired. Major Sheppard's book lay flat on his chest, his eye lids drifting shut.

"How are we going to do this?" McKay asked, rousing him.

"Hmmm?" was his reply.

"Sleep, how are we going to sleep?"

His eyes opened a bit, he looked at McKay, as though he were sizing him up, and then looked down his body and the bed. He closed his book and tossed it onto the floor, hoping the bookmark stayed in place, and then he scooted over.

"No, no. Not happening, what if Ford decides to come get us? It'll be worse than this!" he said lifting their hands.

"Well then," John said tiredly, "You can sleep in the chair."

"I swear on my life, that if you touch me I will kill you." McKay said, moving onto the bed.

"Look, we can sleep with our backs to each other…"

McKay lay down, adjusting himself to the small space, and turned onto his side, his right arm on top and behind him, resting in the middle of the bed. Sheppard laid the same way, only his left hand rested in the middle.

The lights blinked out of existence, and McKay was plunged into darkness. Nighttime was the worst, that's when he let the self doubt run amok.

An entire day worth of change ruined….

His train of thought derailed as he felt an arm slither around his stomach.

"Get the hell off me." He said, batting Sheppard's arm away. "Did you hear what I said before, or have you developed selective hearing?"

Sheppard laughed as he rolled back onto his side.

McKay grimaced, he made himself an easy target, he'd have to stop doing that.

"You know you don't have to worry." Came John's groggy voice, sleep was once again taking hold.

"Worry about what, Major?"

"Whatever it is you think I'm going to do to you…"he yawned, "You're me friend Rodney…I'd never…" he trailed off.

Never what? Steal away the one thing I want most in this galaxy?

How did he even know that McKay was worried about something he might willingly or unwillingly do to harm his already damaged self esteem?

Was he that easy to read when it came to things like that? Matters of the heart are things he'd spent years perfecting cover-ups for, no one ever saw through them.

Was it because Sheppard was Rodney's first real, true friend? Was he the kind of friend that knows everything? Knows all the unspoken fears, the kind of friend that could untwist even the most tangled web of lies?

And if he was…was McKay ready for that kind of friendship?

He drifted off to sleep beside his friend. Tomorrow was another day, and who knows what they'll find out, about the handcuffs, Atlantis, or their friendship.

* * *

Ok, good. This was supposed to all be in Ch. 4, but I had to go to class before, I got it all done. And as I said, I would post the rest, and here it is! Hope it's good. Please R and R! 


	6. A Beautiful day in the Neighborhood

**A/N:** I used Markham instead of Stackhouse, because I don't know if Stackhouse has the gene, I don't think I've ever seen him in the pilot's seat.

* * *

Workday Wonders: Chapter Six

McKay thought sleeping next to the Major would be difficult, he completely forgot that in the morning he'd really want to take a shower. He wasn't quite sure how that would work. Would they stand with their offending hand held out, beyond the curtain?

He woke, much to his own dismay, with his arm over the Major's slowly rising chest. He was breathing deep, signifying that he was still in the thralls of sleep.

McKay let out a sigh of relief; John couldn't hound him about it if he didn't know it had happened. McKay moved over, and off the man next to him, he spared a glance at his right hand, it was still bound in the ancient device. It looked like he wasn't going to get out of going off world. He really didn't see why John wanted to go back to that planet anyway.

He used his free hand to push himself up, and then grabbed the papers from the table next to the bed. He'd been looking over these all day yesterday, and no solution had made itself known. It was times like this he wished he wasn't the one everyone depended on; he wanted someone he could to run to and demand they come up with the answer; it's what happened to him all the time.

He laid the papers on his lap, and pushed the air from his lungs with frustration. It shouldn't be this hard. They should have been able to think it off, most Ancient technology ran on thoughts, and what didn't was still worked with push buttons, something this cylindrical device conveniently lacked.

So if the answer wasn't buttons or thoughts, then what?

The question had been plaguing him for the entire day before, and would continue to until he could figure it out. It just didn't make any sense, and he hated it. He hated not knowing, he couldn't function or help if he didn't know what was going on.

He turned the laptop to face him and he began going through the energy readings that were recorded during the night. He'd let it run the whole night through, and hopefully something would show up.

There was movement to his side and he turned to see Sheppard rubbing his eyes. "Ugh…" he moaned, McKay wondered if the Major were a morning person. He'd never seemed really grumpy in the mornings, "McKay…I didn't think you'd ever get off me."

"What?" he squeaked.

"Do you have a teddy bear or something in your room? You must, cause people don't just up and hold on to things like that over night." He rubbed his stomach. McKay was hungry too, and they were going on a mission today, so food was something they would have to do soon.

"I don't have any stupid teddy bears." In truth he really didn't. No one had ever given him any kind of stuffed toy, and he wasn't sure he'd have wanted them anyway; he was much more interested in the scientific even when he was a child.

John ran a hand through his hair, and grimaced. It felt slick, almost greasy, "I'm going to have to wash my hair, at the very least. I can't go out to another planet feeling dirty."

"What's the matter Major, afraid the local girls wont fall in love with you?"

"Just get out of my bed."

They walked to the bathroom, and toward what they had decided was the Ancient's equivalent of a sink. McKay looked at himself and the Major. They couldn't very well change clothes, unless they wanted to cut their shirts off, and that was a dumb move considering the limited number of clothes they had. His blue shirt contrasted sharply with the Major's black one, but at least they could change their pants and underwear.

John turned the water on and leaned his head down, and splashed the cool water onto his face, then moved over so McKay could do the same thing. McKay had to hand it to the guy; he was a good man, sometimes too good. McKay didn't understand, but he wasn't raised to really understand either. He was raised to be his own best friend. He wondered what John's family life had been like. Were his parents real parents? Did they care for him, and nurture his spirit?

McKay moved away from the sink, and John went back and lowered his whole head into the stream of liquid this time, using his free hand to make sure his entire head was exposed to the water.

"Can you hand me the shampoo?"

McKay turned in a small circle; the bathroom was obviously not a place the Ancient's visited often. They were quite small, just enough room for a sink and tub/shower of sorts. He picked up a white bottle and read the label.

"Pantene Pro-V? Isn't that a girl shampoo?"

The Major huffed, and grabbed the bottle from his hand, "Some of us actually _care_ about our hair." He said with a smile. Rodney raked his fingers over his head. Male pattern baldness ran in the family, it wasn't his fault his hair line was running away from his face.

An hour, two sets of clean pants and underwear, two coffees and a quick breakfast later, they entered into the briefing room. They sat down and Sheppard smiled at everyone like nothing unusual was happening, and Rodney sat his laptop on the table before him. If they couldn't leave the jumper than he planed to spend every second looking at the information he had. Even if he didn't know where to start, he knew not looking would get him nowhere even faster. Things don't just fall out of the sky to make it all better.

At the head of the table sat Elizabeth. Teyla and Ford were to her left, Markham to her right.

"I don't think I have to remind anyone that is specifically a mission to pick up food. Please, don't do anything to irritate the natives. Rodney, Major, I expect you two to keep to your words, and stay in the jumper."

"Sure thing." John told her with a smile. Rodney glared at him; did he always have to be so damn suave?

"Ok, then bring us back something good." She smiled, "Dismissed."

Everyone stood, and filed out of the room, save Sheppard and McKay. John wrapped his fingers around his P-90, while he hadn't been able don a vest, he insisted he have his gun. Military types, if they weren't capable of killing something then they didn't feel alive.

McKay felt dumb for making fun of him, he too had still latched his side arm to his leg, and he'd found another bag to carry his gear.

"You two be safe. I don't want to hear you were being pests. Or that you left the jumper."

"Dr. Weir, you wound me." Elizabeth raised her eyebrow at John; McKay rolled his eyes, but was inclined to agree. Did she really think Sheppard would be able to do anything that Rodney didn't want to do?

"Please Elizabeth. I have no intention of letting this beast have anything his way today." McKay said, hoping to disperse her worries.

"I believe you, but he can be very persuasive."

"Hi, names Rodney McKay. Pain the ass, stubborn, annoying, will get his way if it kills him, it's a pleasure to meet you." He extended his hand, like he was about to shake her hand. Elizabeth smiled, and it was John's turn to roll his eyes, "Besides, I'm not a woman, his charms definitely wont work on me."

"Let's go McKay; they're probably waiting for us."

Everyone that wasn't stuck to another human being sat in the front of the puddle jumper, leaving Sheppard and McKay alone in the back compartment. They were at their destination in an instant, one of the awesome benefits of 'Gate travel.

John and Rodney stood the doorway connecting the front and back portions of the ship. When Sheppard had first come to this planet, McKay had stayed behind, working with Zelenka, feeling food negotiation to be below him, and now he realized why the Major had wanted so much to come back.

They left the Stargate, flying up and over the tree tops. The 'Gate was high on a mountain top, and as they flew out over the edge of the mountain the view stunned Rodney. He'd never been an outdoorsy person. The athletes were outside, along with God knows what pollens, and bees. Bees that could kill him. But this place was amazing.

He gazed through the window, in silent shock, while the Major let out a contented breath.

Sunlight streamed through the front window, illuminating everything. They were above a valley now, green cascaded over it. It was lined on two sides by deep gray, forest lined mountains, another side opened into wide plains, dotted with villages. On the fourth side McKay could just make out the water. The ocean pounded on the shores, spraying salt over the nearby grounds, and tossing the trees in the wind. A single river cut through the valley, its origin hidden in the forest at the base of the mountains, and emptied into the ocean. From the forest came, what McKay assumed would be rather large creatures running wild after the river.

He wished he had a camera, thank God for his photographic memory.

They set down near a village, in an open field. It wasn't something McKay was comfortable with, not that he totally expected something bad to happen, but if it did, they were out in the open, sitting ducks. They might as well paint a bulls-eye on the jumper.

"Why are we landing here?" he asked.

"Well, because it's only going to be, Teyla, Markham and me carrying the food. We don't want to have to walk a mile." Ford said, standing at the rear of the jumper, waiting for the door to lower completely.

"And if the Wraith show up? I mean, we could die because you three are too lazy to walk a mile!" he said. Ford stood taller, trying to loom over him. He opened his mouth to take a shot at McKay, but Sheppard waved him off. The young Lieutenant glared at McKay, and walked down the ramp.

He shouldn't have called him lazy. Ford worked hard, and wouldn't let anything happen to them. At least not to the Major and for the first time Rodney was glad to be stuck to the man.

He really needed to make an effort to be nice to Aiden, he was young, and probably not in need of parents, but McKay wanted to show himself, as much as anyone else that he wouldn't be like his parents. He wanted to be able to support people instead of just making them feel insignificant.

"We have no reason to believe the Wraith will come." Teyla said, offering comfort.

"We'll be fine Teyla, you guys go have fun." Sheppard told her.

She joined Ford at the bottom of the ramp, Markham behind her. A nod from Ford was all they got before the group headed toward the village.

"What are these guys getting in return for their food anyway?" McKay asked, reaching for his bag.

"The usual, some med supplies, some info on the Wraith, and I think they wanted us to help rebuild damaged homes."

"Oh." McKay removed his laptop from his bag. He still hadn't begun to go through the readings from the night before, and every passing second meant he'd have more to look at. "So now that we'll be sitting here until their done, what did you have planned to do?"

He shrugged, leaned back, and tilted his head to see the computer screen.

McKay leaned over the computer, and turned it away from John. It wasn't that he didn't want him to know what was going on; he just hated having people look over his shoulder. It made him nervous, and then he would start to feel like he should have an answer by now, and if he didn't then he was stupid. He knew being labeled stupid, the kind of stupid that meant you were incompetent, was likely never to happen. But the other kind, the kind that said you let people the people who counted on you down, and they thought you were good at what you do…that was different. That was something he'd heard many times, often from his own mouth.

He looked at the screen, and something caught his eye. He straightened up, this could be promising. It looked like at some point early last night; there had been a slight decrease in the energy out put of the device.

He scrolled back the screen to see what time it was when this had occurred.

10:56 PM.

Where were they at ten fifty-six last night? He thought back…

They were in bed already. Was it unconsciousness that had done it, did they need to sleep to get it off? No, that didn't make any sense. Wouldn't it have been off by now if that had been the case?

"I have to pee." Sheppard said.

"What?" McKay said, he was on the verge of knowing something and he was going to have to walk Sheppard to the bathroom? Again?

"Come on, the woods are just over there, we can do a little looking around. Twenty minutes tops."

"What about what Elizabeth said?"

"She didn't say we had to hold it in." he stood, taking McKay's hand with him, "I can go right here, it wont bother me." McKay wasn't sure if he was lying or not, he was sure Sheppard would never…well, go number one, or two for that matter, in a puddle jumper, let alone in front of McKay. But he didn't want to risk it.

"Fine, fine." He sat his laptop down, and walked off the ship with John. John contacted Ford to let them know what was going on, in case the three made it back with the first of the load, before he and McKay did.

Rodney already felt like he should regret the choice. They walked into the woods and disappeared.

* * *

Ok, well, more later. Got to go now, it's my Grandma's birthday. R and R please! 


	7. It's Always Something

Ok, Thanks for the reviews! Corrections have been made.

Sorry this has taken so long. School has been nuts, finals are coming up, I had to register for next year this week, and there was all kinds of crazy homework and a lot of reading.

Anyway, I hope this is ok. I rewrote it three times. I just think my action never comes out right. Is there some secret I don't know to writing action/fight scenes? If there is let me in!

**A/N: I'm taking the rating up for this chapter, the 'f word' is in there once, so be forewarned!**

Enjoy.

Workday Wonders: Chapter Seven

Rodney and John stepped into the shady tree line, and began a slow trek over the dead leaves and fallen branches. For a forest it was eerily quiet, and that bothered McKay on a level he didn't know he could reach. It was just wrong; there should be something, anything other than just the sound of their footsteps. Where were the animals, he knew that that they were there, he'd seen them earlier. His eyes darted between the trees, waiting for something to spring from the shadows.

He looked behind him; the edge of the clearing had dissipated into trees, tons and tons of trees. If the Major needed to go to the bathroom did he really need to walk so far into the forest? It wasn't like there was even a path for them to follow, leave it to Sheppard to wonder into the forest for no reason other than he felt the need to defy orders.

"I think we can stop walking now." They stopped moving and John looked at him, "Do you have to go the bathroom or are you just wasting my time, because I have work to do if you want to get out of this."

"Just thought we could do some sight seeing while we were out."

"Well how about you just do what you have to, so we can get back." McKay turned around, giving John privacy. Rodney's mind wondered back to his lap top and what he'd seen before he'd been drug into the forest. For just a moment the power holding them together had weakened last night. If he could figure out what had caused it, he could probably figure out how to get away from Sheppard, and then the Major could do whatever he wanted, when he wanted, and Rodney wouldn't have to worry about what would happen.

They had just gotten into bed. John had been acting like an ass, and put his arm around McKay, and then he'd told him not to worry. Then they'd both fallen asleep.

It couldn't have anything to do with sleep that much was clear, they'd slept and awoke in the same situation. So that just leaves the brief conversation they'd had before drifting off. John had said not to worry; he was trying to comfort McKay. Was that the key? Did he need to stop worrying, and if that were it, then stop worrying about what? They'd get out of this, they had to. Hell, it was expected of them…him, to get out of it.

The Major tapped McKay's shoulder, letting him know it was ok to turn around. Rodney sighed as he took in the smug grin on Sheppard's face, how could he be so happy to be out in the middle of nowhere, bound to another person? Rodney just wanted to be back in Atlantis, free of the Major, and able to sleep in his own bed, and work without the constant questions.

"Can we go back to the jumper now that you've succeeded in wasting my time?"

"Please?" John questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Rodney glared at him, and added sarcastically, "Please?"

Before John answered a twig somewhere to the left of the pair snapped, and the strange looking plants blew in a nonexistent breeze. Sheppard automatically raised his weapon, and scanned the surrounding area. McKay stood still, praying it would just be some animal, and that it would pass by, seeing them as no threat.

As though someone answered his prayer, a large creature jumped from bushes not ten feet from where they stood. It looked like a cross between a horse and a camel. It had the head of a horse, mane and all, and a horse's tail. The body was that of a camel, humps, and the two toed feet. It looked at them with big dark eyes before taking off into the woods, leaping and bounding over fallen trees and large roots.

The two men stared at it until they could no longer see it.

"There happy? We could have died, all because you wanted to go "sight seeing" in the freaking forest. Now, to the jumper, please." John rolled his eyes, but lowered his gun and began walking the direction they had come, alongside McKay, "Thank you."

As they started their walk back his mind again wondered to the happenings of last night, and when Sheppard had said not to worry…the key had to be in that.

Ford, Teyla, and Markham made their way back toward the jumper. Each had been given what looked a lot like a duffle-bag of food and had slung it over their shoulders and carried a crate in their arms; it was the first trip of what was certain to be many. They were getting a good deal of food from these people. Ford wasn't completely certain what they had promised in return, but it must have been good. With them, chatting quietly amongst themselves, were several of the young men from the village, helping to bring the food.

There was a distinct silence surrounding the area as they closed in, even a good hundred yards from the ship and Ford could tell that Sheppard and McKay were still taking a break.

He broke his hand away from his crate long enough to tap his radio on, de-cloak the ship and replace his hand before he dropped the crate.

"Major, we're almost back to the jumper. Are you-?"

"_On our way back Lieutenant." _

"Yes sir. Hey, Major, your first time here, you see what they use as animal labor? They're pretty crazy looking."

"_Actually I think we just ran into one."_

"What if we called them hamels?" Ford grinned; he could almost see the Major shaking his head. He glanced back at Teyla and Markham, they both wore small smiles, and the young men looked at him with eyes, which Ford thought, begged the question "What's he been smoking?"

"_I'm sure they already have a name for them Lieutenant." _McKay said over the radio, irritation passing the distance that separated them.

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean _we_ can't call them something else. A lot of things have nicknames, like you. Most people call you Rodney or McKay but some call…" the young man trailed off, as an all too familiar sound reverberated through the air. They quickly dropped their crates and dumped the sacks beside them as Wraith darts flew over them, "Major!"

"_A lot of things have nicknames, like you."_

McKay looked at the Major, wasn't he going to stop the young man from finishing his sentence, not that nicknames that were less than flattering were anything new to him, but hadn't John told Ford not to name things on more than one occasion? That was reason enough to stop him from talking.

He'd have to remember to get back at the younger man later, after he was free of Sheppard, who was just smiling, enjoying McKay's torment.

'Some friend.' he thought.

Ford trailed off over the radio before completing the insult, and they knew why. They heard it coming, sailing through the air, a low whine coming from it, Wraith, more than one by the sound of it.

They stopped dead in their tracks, Sheppard gripped his gun tightly. He looked up to the tress tops, they were mostly hidden by a canopy of leaves, but stray beams of light penetrated everywhere, their eyes roamed the tree tops, trying to decide where the darts were.

"_Major!"_ Ford's voice barley contained his panic. The jumper was left in the open, and the Wraith would have seen it by now. McKay thought frantically about the ship, his teammates and the equipment inside that could hold the answer. Had they raised the invisibility cloak? They had, but no doubt one of the three had already lowered it. The Wraith would have seen the ship and they'd be all over the area in no time!

"How many?" John shouted into his radio.

"_Three darts."_ was Ford's answer, he swore as shots sounded through the small valley, _"Sir their-"_ he didn't finish his sentence.

Sheppard was already running, McKay at his side, and he cut Ford off, "Ford we're on our way, just hold them off!" As they were running, McKay couldn't help but feel he was hindering the Major, and delaying help that his friends might desperately need.

Gun shots from their friends could only mean one thing, Wraith on the ground, which just made their day a whole lot worse.

"What did I say?" McKay shouted at Sheppard as they ran. He really didn't want to pull the whole 'I told you so' card, but look what Major Sheppard's persistence had gotten them into.

What if he never got to have that quite lunch or dinner or quiet anything with Elizabeth? At the very least he felt he owed it to himself, if not her, to let her know how he felt before he died.

Ford and Teyla wouldn't know how much he truly valued their friendship; he wouldn't get to tell anyone that mattered to him anything. Markham, he didn't really know the young Sergeant, but he didn't deserve to die at the hands of Wraith anymore than anyone else. Some friend…yeah, Rodney was the one who was some friend, half the people he liked to consider friends didn't even know that he felt that way.

Rodney tried to run faster, to keep up with John, it might be for nothing, but he at least had to try to help.

Ford cursed under his breath, it wasn't like either of his two teammates to leave a ship like that, especially when they'd been ordered not to. He understood they were stressing each other out, but still, he couldn't help but be angry with them, he wished that just once his CO and the doctor could do what they were asked.

They had dropped their newly acquired food, and run for cover, the young men had taken off for their homes. Ford and his teammates ran for cover, trying to reach the ship, they didn't make it more than a few steps before blue bolts of energy whizzed past their bodies. They turned back to hide as best they could behind the discarded food, but that wouldn't keep them safe for long.

A Wraith dart flew back over head, the hiss of their beam cut through the air. From his place, lying on the ground Ford looked toward the young men's retreating backs, several had disappeared.

Three Wraiths marched toward them while one other made its way to the ship. Ford cursed again. He hoped the Major would show up any second and help to fend off the Wraith.

More blasts flew overhead; he peeked out from around a sack and fired at the approaching foot soldiers.

"Sir their-" he shouted.

"_Ford we're on our way, just hold them off!"_

Hold them off, right…five damn near impossible to kill, vampire wanna-be's? That's easier said than done.

"We need to get back to the ship." Teyla nodded, and scooted her body over, readying herself for a fast sprint up and across the ground, Ford looked at her, "I should do it."

"I will be fine Lieutenant."

He nodded, "Be careful. Me and Markham will lay down cover fire."

On the count of three Teyla darted out from their hiding place. Blasts of energy flew by her, some missing only by inches. The two men fired at the three that sought to shoot her, within moments two fell to the ground, only to rise again moments later. As she ran, she steadied her gun as best she could, and fired at the one nearing the ship.

The hiss of the Wraith beam cut the air again, and she looked back, she cringed inwardly as the rest of the young men were taken, and turned back to her objective with horror in her eyes, it was heading straight for her two friends, still on their stomachs behind the sacks and crates.

"Lieutenant!" she shouted. He turned around while Markham continued to fire. His eyes widened, when the Wraith made their pass, there would be nothing left to hide behind, and if they didn't move that would be the least of their problems. He jumped to his feet and grabbed Markham's vest, dragging him to the left and out of the beams path. It passed them, stealing away their food.

Markham scrambled to get to his feet, Ford hoisted the young man up, and they ran, dodging blasts, toward the ship. Ford pushed Markham toward the jumper, he'd need to fly the thing out of there, and then he stopped, steadied his hand and fired. Bolts flew past him; he could feel the air brush his face as they passed.

Fire sounded from the woods, Aiden spared a glance, but he didn't see the Major anywhere. One of the Wraith that had been headed his way, changed direction and began a march toward the forest.

"Sir there's one headed your way!" He kept firing and one went down, he darted from his spot and would have taken it as a small victory if it weren't for the grunt of an impact that came from ahead of him.

Ahead, Markham lay on the ground, blue flickers dissipating from his still form. "They got Markham!" he didn't know who he was telling specifically, Teyla, the Major and McKay, it didn't really matter at that point. He heard gun shots from the opposite side of the ship, Teyla. Ford stopped by Markham and fired at the still standing Wraith.

"Lieutenant you must hurry!" Teyla cried, racing around the ship to their aid. She took up firing at the Wraith, watching to see if the already fallen would rise again. Ford again grabbed onto Markham's vest and began to drag him toward the ship.

Thanking God for small favors, he pulled his fellow comrade onboard; Teyla came in behind him, closing the hatch.

"We cannot sit here." She said.

"Well what do you want me to do! He's out of it!" Ford said, gesturing to their downed pilot, "And McKay and the Major are still out there!"

"If we do nothing, they may damage our ship."

"So you want to just leave them?"

Running through the woods wasn't something Rodney did, although it seemed since deciding to join Sheppard's team, he was doing it more and more. It wasn't that he so much minded the running, it was good for him, healthy, and it would build up some muscle, but it was the exhaustion that caused him to despise doing it. When he got exhausted, he got clumsy, and slow, and none of those where what he needed now. Funny, he hadn't remembered walking this far into the woods.

But it was his luck, if anything could go wrong it would, and today was no exception. It was only a matter of time before his breathing would become erratic, and cause something to happen that inevitably cost someone their life. That moment was now.

Breathing heavily, with his vision blurring with sweat and pressure, and in desperate need of a break that he didn't want to take, he stumbled over a root, and collapsed. Ordinarily that wouldn't have been too much of a problem, but considering he was bound to Sheppard, who wanted nothing more that to reach the ship and shoot the bad guy, it was a costly mistake.

They Major came tumbling back, almost on top of McKay, and when he hit the ground his weapon discharged. There went any surprise they might have had.

'_Way to go McKay. Gave away your own position and killed your friends, not bad for a days work, eh?'_

His mind didn't have time for self-loathing. John was back on his feet and pulling at McKay.

"_Sir there's one headed your way!" _

"Goddamn it, McKay, get your ass up. We gotta go!" he shouted. He was slowing John down, he knew it, and John knew it. This day was horrible, all he'd wanted was a nice lunch with Elizabeth and to do some work on power input for the city, but no, Sheppard had to be gung-ho, king of the jungle, I-go-on-every-mission-no-matter-what, and look where it had gotten them.

He was up again, running with the Major, now more alert, knowing what was making it's way towards them. McKay was blaming again, and he didn't want to. He wished he could find a way to say it was partly his fault, but it just wasn't. He didn't want to be there, he didn't activate the device.

Their radios crackled to life once more, _"They got Markham!"_ He didn't say anything after that, he wanted to shout through the radio, he wanted to know how; he wanted to that the younger man hadn't been beamed up.

His chest was on fire, his throat burned, and his lungs felt like they were about to explode. He knew he couldn't stop, someone was already hurt, maybe if he'd been able to get the device off faster, he was so close, he had an idea he just couldn't put his finger on it.

"_Sir we're at the ship, but Markham's out, there are still Wraith out there. Teyla says we should go up."_

Probably a good idea, despite the gut wrenching effect being left on the ground gave him, but this way the ship and the people on it would be safe from harm.

"We'll be there soon." Sheppard said.

"Does that mean we can walk?" McKay huffed out. He didn't really want to be there any longer than he had to, but he just couldn't run anymore. Again, like an answered prayer, he was stopped, and could rest for a moment. It wasn't given to him for the reasons he initially thought, Sheppard had heard something.

John was beside him, gun at the ready, scanning the area. Rodney tiredly pulled his own weapon from its holster and held it at his side. Rodney's head jerked to the left, he swore he'd seen something. Looking to the right, he thought he saw it again. They had to strain their minds to remember not to fire until the saw the pasty bastards.

Out of nowhere a Wraith energy weapon fired, missed and the forest was silent again.

Rodney's mind was frantic; where was it? How could they not see the green-skinned, white-haired monster? It wasn't like it had great blending abilities, the woods were darker than it was, and it shouldn't be able to hide!

"Ford, get the ship off the ground!" McKay said into his radio as he started in the opposite direction the blast had come from.

"McKay what the hell are you doing, the ship-" Sheppard tried to dig his feet into the ground to stop the man, but when he knew what he was doing there was no stopping him.

"_What? I don't know how to fly this thing."_

"Just think about it." McKay told him, "Think up, and then you can target the Wraith on the ground and come get this one. We can't see it!"

"That's because you're running the wrong way. Besides Ford doesn't have the gene."

"Please Major," he paused to catch his breath, "do you know what it was like for him to know the reason he was going to die," another pause, "at the hands of that nano-virus was because he didn't have the gene?" He glanced at the Major, surprised he didn't know, "It's the first thing he and a lot of others did after we were cleared." He could still see the fear etched in the twenty-four year olds eyes. He didn't think he'd ever seen Aiden so scared, not in even in the face of the Wraith.

"_Major?"_

"You heard him, save our asses. Just…careful what you think of, ok?"

"_Yes Sir." _

"Where are you taking us McKay?"

"Away form the unseen, un-killable evil thing that wants to suck our lives out of us." The look John gave him told Rodney that wasn't the answer he wanted to hear, "Look, if we can stay away from it, Ford will be here in no time."

"And how do we do that?"

"By running…" he stopped and bent over, hands on his knees, "after this break."

Ford sat down in front of the control panel, Teyla to his right. He hadn't had the gene for very long, and even if he had, he'd never flown a ship before. There were a lot things he'd never done until he came here; this was just one more to add to the list.

"If we crash…I'm sorry."

"You will do fine."

He nodded. He took the hand controls and watched as the ship lit up. Outside the Wraith were getting up, the two he'd been after anyway, what ever Teyla did to the third one it was keeping him down.

The darts flew over them, ignoring them, they had gotten what they'd come for and now they were leaving.

"Thank God…" Ford whispered.

He closed his eyes and concentrated on getting the ship in the air, shakily it rose. He opened his eyes and smiled. They were off the ground, and the next step was invisibility. The Wraith still moving on the ground fired at the ship. It rocked, and dipped toward the ground. Ford tightened his grip on the controls as Teyla checked to make sure Markham was still doing fine. He concentrated and the ship leveled out, and an invisible wall was thrown up around it as it rose higher from the ground.

"Ok, weapons…" he said, looking around but knowing he would find no buttons to press. "Ok, ok. Ford, you can do this…"

"We must get to Major Sheppard and Doctor McKay."

"I know. I'm…blowing up Wraith." On cue the yellow glow of Ancient drones shot out of the ship and sought their targets, "Awesome." Ford whispered. He'd seen it done before, but it was something else to be the one controlling it, now he knew how Beckett must have felt back on Earth.

"We're coming to get you Sir. What's your location?"

"_We're uh, running south of where you were. You got a life signs detector, use it!"_

"Yes Sir." He hated asking stupid questions, and there was no time for that now. The jumper made it's way steadily, but to slowly for Ford's liking, out over the forest. He'd have to get some practice flying one of these days; it was no good if you could only move at the pace of a snail.

A screen popped up on the wide, front window, it showed the area on a grid map. When Ford had found the Major and McKay stuck together, he'd barely been able to contain the laughter, but was worried they may not be able to figure out how to get it off; now as he looked at the blinking dots that indicated life, he was relieved to see that it was still on them. The screen didn't distinguish who was who, but he could tell from the two dots that were so close together, who his friends were.

"He's catching up to you two. You may want to take cover."

It's near us! Where? Rodney looked over his shoulder while he ran, he couldn't see anything. He didn't know which was worse, not seeing it, or knowing it was out there. Ford had told them to take cover, so it must be close enough that debris from the blast could reach them, but why didn't it fire? He laughed to himself; maybe this one wasn't so good with moving targets.

John pulled McKay to the right; they climbed over a gigantic fallen tree that lay in a ditch, taking up half the space itself. No sooner had they made it to the top, and started to go over, when a blue blast from somewhere behind them nearly scalped them. They hunkered down beneath the tree as best as they could.

"SHOOT!" Sheppard yelled. The forest filled with noise. Dirt mixed with stones, sticks and Wraith parts rained down. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but Wraith will never hurt me" he smiled at McKay, who gave him an incredulous look before he muttered to himself.

"_Sir, there's no where for me to land here, you're going to have to walk back to the field."_

"No kidding." McKay said. They two men stood, and dusted them selves off. They walked around the tree and up the embankment.

"So McKay, what the hell was that? Did I witness the first psychotic break?"

"What?"

"Since when do you tell people to leave _without_ you, especially when we were almost there?" he asked, he wasn't mocking McKay or trying to call him a coward, not really, he just wanted to let the man know he'd changed a bit, and that he could tell.

"Since my life depends on theirs. Is that a problem, because you know if you hadn't touched the device, or defied Elizabeth's orders, we wouldn't even have been in this mess." McKay stepped ahead of John, who had stopped walking. Something he said must have angered the man, because he did not look happy.

"You have to stop blaming me for this." His voice was low, ordering.

He spoke before he could stop himself, "Well it isn't my fault, and it has to be someone's." damn his mouth.

"No! McKay, no it doesn't! Why does there always have to be someone or something to blame with you?" if McKay had changed he wasn't sure what it was that was different anymore, "Ever heard of a little thing called an _accident_?" his voice was rising a bit.

"Accidents aren't real Major; the governments just call them that so people won't feel as bad when they fuck up really badly." Rodney was probably as stunned as Sheppard by his word choice; he couldn't recall the last time he'd sworn. It was quickly forgotten by both men.

"So someone is always at fault? How convenient that it's never you. Out of curiosity, who do blame for the Wraith, McKay?" he tried to cross his arms, but had to settle for one arm across his chest.

"Obviously the Ancients, you heard what Carson said, if they just sat back and watched-" he didn't trust the Ancients any more than he trusted Genii, not after Chaya.

"Oh please, you can't buy into that theory! They had to have just found them, there's no way they'd let something like the Wraith get as powerful as they are. They aren't some heartless race, they'd never just watch the life they created get sucked away and do nothing!"

McKay did the courteous thing and let the Major finish before he talked. "Maybe you haven't noticed, but they take a pretty passive-aggressive stance on – oh, everything! 'Oh, you can't come and be safe here because I can't help anyone because I was a bad girl ten thousand years ago' Boo-hoo Major. Our lives are at stake and we're they're descendants!" he was shouting, he knew it was stupid; they were fight about the Ancients, but he'd been baited and took it, he didn't care anymore. John was waiting for him to say something that would let him know what was really wrong with Rodney, "Face it, your Ancient _bimbo_ and her friends don't care what happens to us any more than the Wraith do."

Something clicked in John's eyes, he must have said the word he was waiting for, "Elizabeth. That's what you were so worried about, I knew it."

"What?"

John moved closer to him, "You like her, a lot. I'm not blind, just like I know you aren't. This is why you've were acting all weird yesterday, why you didn't want me at lunch?"

"You didn't want me at dinner."

"I'm not trying to hide how I feel either."

"Ok, so you know I like her, big deal. I don't expect anything to come of it." He looked away from Sheppard, he gazed through the trees at the way they should be moving. The way toward the jumper, toward home, toward her.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm a genius, not a hopeless romantic, I know when I've been beat Major. Congratulations, can we go now?"

"Rodney." His voice was low, but no longer angry, or questioning.

"You know, you could have anyone on Atlantis. There are women that throw themselves at you, but you don't see it." He sounded defeated, and John felt horrible. He never wanted to defeat McKay in anything, especially something that concerned the heart, an organ McKay has only begun to let people know he has.

"I said I would never do anything to you, you're my friend. I'll…I'll back off if you want me to, if you promise to make a move. Your right, I am Kirk ya know." He held out his hand for McKay to shake.

He turned around, and eyed the Major. Did he have his fingers crossed? No too easy, he probably had his toes crossed or something. He laughed at himself, here Sheppard was offering to back away from the woman they both wanted so that McKay could give it an honest shot, and he was questioning his benignity. He took John's hand, and the Major's two hands held his tight, while McKay's other hand was patting the Major's, like he was the one offering peace of mind.

"And you know, you don't have to change for anyone, not really anyway. I mean, most people like you, even though they won't admit it. And people like Kavanaugh; they don't deserve your friendship anyway. Screw them.

He was right, again. McKay didn't have to be everyone friend, that's not why he was here. They people that mattered already knew who he was…mostly. They knew that he cared even if he didn't show it all the time. Screw everyone else; he'd take quality over quantity any day.

They smiled at each other and dropped their hands to their sides. McKay was the first to look down, something felt different, and he hadn't even noticed it until that moment. Looking back and forth between his hand and the Major's he laughed out loud. He raised his left hand, it was free.

He rubbed his wrist then bent over to carefully pick up the device from the forest floor, and it all clicked in his mind, "Of course, it was like Ford said…"

"Be careful with that ok, I don't want to deal with that again." John rubbed his own wrist, and keeping his hand as far from the device as possible, he gave McKay a nudge in the direction home.

"Remember Ford's story about his Grandfather tying him to his cousin until they got along?"

"You think that's what this was about?"

"Well think about it. When did it turn on? After we'd seen Elizabeth, and now after we yell at each other and essentially make up, it comes off. It makes sense, I should have thought of this yesterday!"

"Just keep walking."

They made it back to the ship in one piece, and surprised Ford and Teyla when they McKay stopped at his laptop and the Major just kept walking. They explained what they believed to have been the reason for their release.

John patted Ford on the back, "Good job, but…mind if I fly home?"

"No problem." Ford scooted over to the front passenger chair and settled in. McKay sat behind the young man who'd given them the answer to their problem yesterday morning, and Teyla sat behind the Major.

On their flight home John glanced back at Rodney, hunched over his laptop.

"Hey McKay?" he looked up, "Bow if your gay."

"Wh-" before he finished the ship lurched forward and stopped just as suddenly. His upper body bent forward with the momentum, and then snapped back, it almost looked like he'd bowed. "Oh ha ha ha, another gay joke. How very mature. Just fly the ship."

Teyla and Ford joined Sheppard in his laughter. His friends may be immature at times, but they were good people.

There! This took forever! I know the ship has inertial dampeners, but if they feel it when the ship is shot, why not when starts and stops really fast? Please let me know what you think. Did the action-y part suck, or was it ok? There's like one more part, so keep an eye out.


	8. Show Time

I got stuck writing this because I wasn't sure how I wanted it to work out. McKay gets her, Shep gets her, or McKay leaves it to her to pick. So I decided the good old fashion way, I flipped a coin. So you'll just have to read to see what happens.

Enjoy.

* * *

Workday Wonders: Chapter Eight

When they dialed the 'Gate and sent their IDC, they'd requested a medical team, even though Markham was in no immediate danger, Beckett had been there waiting. Markham would eventually wake, and despite the pins and needles he'd be feeling, he'd know the feeling of relief that came with waking up on the infirmary beds, surrounded by friends.

Meanwhile, Sheppard's team sat around the briefing room table, waiting for Dr. Weir to enter and call the meeting to a start. John and Teyla sat on one side Ford and Rodney on the other; it was the first time in just over a day that John and Rodney had been able to walk away from each other. More than a few people lost money in the pool about who'd go crazy first. Both men were unharmed, and they weren't at each others throats, and were now apart no worse for wear than before.

Come to think of it, Sheppard and McKay hadn't been seen at each other's throats at all, at least no more than usual, but there was an underlying tension even now that they were apart. Not like they missed the person that had been their other half for a day, but a tension that you might find between the new husband and the ex-husband. It was unsettling.

Sheppard rubbed his wrist, his eyes glancing around the room, touching on everything except McKay, and McKay didn't seem to be able to look at anything but Sheppard.

Never in his life had he known someone who would give up something they cared about, to give their chance to someone else. He wasn't sure if he would have done the same thing. He was in the exact same position as Sheppard, he could let him go for it, but it was something he wanted, and he was inclined to be selfish about getting it. Had John not told him to go for it, the competition would have remained the same. He wouldn't have backed down until Elizabeth had made it clear he was unwanted.

Or vice versa, though it was more likely to be the former rather than the latter in his mind.

Elizabeth walked into the room; she practically glided to her seat at the head of the table. McKay's eyes left John and mimicked her movements. Did he have the courage to make a move, to take the opportunity presented by the Major? Or would he let himself and the Major down? John was giving up something big for Rodney, he felt obligated to him to ask her, and obligated to himself to be a good friend, and not waste time like he had been.

He looked down at the device that sat on the table in front of him, he was it rolling beneath his hand, across the table, the metal on metal clinked with the movement. What if she said no? It was the same thought that kept him from ever asking someone out. At least asking them out and getting yes as an answer. His nerves were always his undoing, if he managed to get the words out they didn't sound right, and usually all he got for his efforts was a glare and good view of someone's back as they walked away.

He could feel his heart climb up his throat with each beat. He hadn't even said two words to her yet, and look at him; he was choking on his thoughts.

Ford and Teyla did most of the talking, about the food, the young men, the run back to the ship, and when Markham woke he'd say all the same things. Then she turned her attention to John, berating him for leaving the ship, knowing he had to take Rodney with him, and that he had promised not to.

She looked hurt. You could see it in her eyes, she trusted John with her life, and it was a trust well founded, he'd saved her a few times, but he hadn't listened to her. This time she'd trusted him to keep a promise that would not only keep himself safe, but Rodney as well, and he'd broken it.

It took Rodney a moment to realize that she was looking and talking to him, "Yeah…what?" he said, putting his hands on his lap, letting the device roll to a stop on it's own.

"What do you think made the device release the two of you?"

"Oh, uh…well, I didn't think about it until after it came off but, uh, Ford practically told how to get it off yesterday."

"I did?"

"Yes. That story about your grandfather and your cousin, there was some, uh, unfinished business between us, all we had to do was…iron out the wrinkles and uh, we were free." He added a quick smile to his explanation; it made him look more anxious than anything else.

He hated being under the magnifying glass. They'd want to know what it was that had held them together in the first place; it wasn't something he was inclined to share.

'_We got stuck together because I thought he'd make a move on Elizabeth before I did.'_ Maybe that's what he'd say…if he wanted to look like a fool.

"Unfinished business?" she asked. He'd known she would, it could have been important…but it was just embarrassing. Why did he think his feelings for her were embarrassing? He changed his mind, if anything kept him from getting her, it wouldn't be his words, it would be his less then sunny disposition and self resentment and self doubt. Sheppard sure as hell didn't think falling for her was embarrassing.

"Um, unfinished…about, uh, about…Chaya. It was Chaya, we just needed to get that out of our systems." He said, blinking a few to many times.

"Well, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm beat. McKay snores and I can sleep by myself tonight, so that's where I'm going." John said standing up, he glanced at Elizabeth, smiling, "That is if it's ok with you."

"Major, if I didn't know better, I'd say you didn't appreciate my company." McKay said.

"Well, you know what they say all good things…absence makes the heart grow fonder."

Ford let out a laugh, causing Teyla to look at him. He'd explain it to her later.

"It's ok Major, you can go. Dismissed." She said, taking a stand her self. John walked quickly to where McKay was still sitting. As Ford and Teyla left the room, he explained to her why he'd laughed, and John bent over Rodney and whispered into his ear.

"Make me proud."

McKay watched him leave the room, and jog to catch up to the young Lieutenant and Athosian friend. There was something truly…indefinable about him. He had to be hurting inside, good deed or not, it had to suck. Sometimes being a good friend hurt, and sometimes being a best friend killed. But he was a good one, the best, and McKay wouldn't have anyone else be given the title of his best friend, John should be proud.

McKay turned to Elizabeth; she was talking again, asking if he was ok, or if he just missed the Major's companionship. _'Funny.'_ He thought. He stood, picked up the device and looked Elizabeth in the eye.

"What were you two really fighting over?"

"What?"

"You're a bad liar remember, eye twitches, stuttering." She raised her eyebrow at him.

"You listen to everything I say?"

"You are one of the most brilliant people here." She smiled at him, and he looked away. He felt like a child with a school yard crush, any moment he'd push her down and run away.

"You must have misspoken; I am _the_ most brilliant person here."

"Of course." She started to walk past him, and an image of Sheppard flashed through Rodney's mind. He'd be so disappointed, not to mention probably pissed as hell if he didn't say something to her about how he felt.

"Wait, Elizabeth…I…" his voice faded to a mumble, "Come on McKay…come on…"

"Rodney?"

He needed to make a new list of things to change, on top pf the new list would be Elizabeth, objective: make his girlfriend. He took a deep breath and continued. "Would you like to go out to dinner sometime?" he rushed it, he knew. He talked fast, wanting the moment to be over soon, he thought he already knew the answer.

"I…I would like that."

'_It can't be like that…see I knew Shep—what?'_ He looked at her, ready to jump up and down, someone said yes to him!

"Seriously?"

"Yes." She smiled.

"I—this is…tomorrow?" it took every ounce of self control he had not to grin like a moron. He didn't want to look the same way he had when they'd made the connection to Atlantis from Earth though…and luckily he wasn't capable of containing _all_ his joy, and a smile, a small one, but a smile none the less broke out over his features.

"Okay."

"Okay, well, then…I, we should, uh, I'll…see you then…"

"Okay, it's a date then." She said with a smile and a laugh as she turned and left the room.

McKay stood there, the smile still on his face, but internally he smacked himself. One shining moment of bravery, then he falters and falls flat on his face. The stuttering when nervous would have to change too, new list item number two, but she did say yes.

McKay's body shook in a sort of happy dance, something he'd done many a time over a scientific breakthrough, once over being kissed by Samantha Carter, and now over getting a date with a beautiful, smart woman who liked him, faults included. It was a great ending to not so perfect day.

Sheppard bounced back into the room, and went to McKay.

"So?"

"So?"

Sheppard glared at him, "So." He demanded.

"She…said yes."

"No way!" McKay looked at him, almost hurt. Maybe he was wrong, maybe the only reason the Major let him ask her first was because he thought she would turn him down and he'd be free to go after her. "That came out wrong, I don't mean it in a bad way, I just…put my foot in my mouth."

"Yeah well. Thanks for your vote of confidence." He started walking around him.

"No, I have confidence, I do." John jumped back in front of McKay; he held his hands out, trying to stop him. "Look," he lowered his hands, "I didn't mean to offend you, you have to know that. It's just...hard."

"It means a lot to me."

"She's a great woman."

"No, not Elizabeth…well yeah she means a lot to me, but the fact that you would give up trying to win her over, to give me a shot. I don't know anyone else that would have done that for me. You're a true friend John."

He smiled, "Yeah…" he put his arm over McKay's shoulder and the two walked from the room, "but I never said I'd stop trying."

"What?" Sheppard just smiled at him. Third on his new list, learn to not be fooled so easily by the Major. He knew the man wouldn't try to hamper a budding relationship between McKay and Elizabeth, but he also knew it would be hard for him. Even if he said he was okay with everything, on some level he had to be a little jealous…he knew he would be if the shoe were on the other foot. "You're a funny, funny man."

* * *

And it only took forever. Please R and R. 


End file.
